The private school market - France

A private school in France is one that has not signed an agreement with the state to carry out its activities. The establishment receives no state subsidy, but receives private donations and charges admission to its school.the school's autonomy is symbolized by a high degree of autonomy in setting school curricula and freedom in teaching methods. Non-contractual private education is a segment of private education in France, with just under three million students. Non-contractual private schools cover the whole range from nursery school to lycée, including primary and lower secondary schools. Three other segments are present, including private education under contract with the State, which is by far the largest in France, and is often linked to Catholic education. In 2015, there were more than a thousand non-contracted schools, a third of which were religious in nature: the others were bilingual schools, schools following the Montessori method and schools using the Steiner method. the Montessori method encourages children's autonomy and initiative, with mixed ages and an educator as guide, while the Steiner method emphasizes creaativity and artistic activities, differing in its absence of academic knowledge before the age of seven and exclusively oral lessons, as well as in its division into age groups.. These fee-paying schools have a higher baccalaureate pass rate than public and contracted high schools (95% vs. 88%), and are mainly located in the Paris region. In 2024, Montessori schools accounted for more than 30% of all non-contracted schools. Overall, there is a clear upward trend in the number of out-of-contract establishments, which are becoming an increasingly important part of the French educational landscape. In 2024, over the past 30 years, the number of establishments has risen from 40 to almost 2,600, a 65-fold increase. In 2024, these establishments represent 4.4% of the total number of French establishments. Out-of-contract private schools declare their opening, but opposition is possible; they do not follow public curricula, manage the recruitment of their teachers, are inspected, and students must pass an exam to transfer to public education.